The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-03-17
THE FIELD OF LITERATURE.
Among the Magazines.


grouped under three heads namely, the labor
problem, religion and war matters. OF the first
Robert Ingersoll treats in "Some Interrogation
Points," and, barring few characteristic hings
at the church. it touches upon the wrongs ana
rights Of the workingmen and their employers
with cearness and correctness seldom found
in the views of one considering both sides OF this
subject Education, he thinks has done much
to lift the laboring classes out of bondage, and
it will do more; the education Of books com olnec
with that of the hand makes the artisan supe'
rior to the mere scholar. In some respects
he says. "these common people are the superiors
Of the so-called aristocracy. While the edu-
Gated have been turning their attention 10 the
classics. to the dead languages and the dead
ideas and mistakes they contain--while they have
been giving their attention to ceramics artistic
decorations and compulsory prayers, the com
mon people have been compelled TO learn the
practical things-to become acquainted Win
facts-by doing the work of the world. The
professor of a college is no longer match Tor
master mechanic. The master mechanic not
only understands principles, but their applica-
ton. He knows things as they are. he mas
come in contact with the actual, with realities.
He knows something of the adaptation Of means
to ends, and this is the highest and most val
uable form of education The men who make
locomotives, who construct the vast engines
those who have spent their lives conjugating
Greek verbs looking for Hebrew roots and dis
cussng the origin and destiny of the universe.
In Modern Feudalism, by James F. Hudson, and
Working Women. by Ida M. VanEtten. other
phases OF the labor problem are presented
Rev. Thomas Armitage, D. D., tells why he is a
Baptist Coraline Daniels publishes let.
ter addressed to herself by she Duke OF
Argyll on the subject of prayer and
A. G. Bowen considers briefly, the best works
Of false faiths. The war papers consist OF an &C.
CONT by General Beaurekard OF the battles OF
Drury's Bluff and Petersburg, reply to Beaure-
gard by Rear admral Taylor, some unpublished
war letters addressed to General Sherman by
Chase Grant. Haleck and others. and the
South in the Union army by A. T. Morey. Pa
pers of political complexion are Our King In
Dresscoat,n by Moucure d. Conway, and oar
Inequalities Of Suffrage by J. Chester Lyman.
History is a comprehensive branch of liter
ture, and the Magazine Of American History,
therefore, although devoted to its specially, is
by no means confined to the dry bones of its
subject, but contains much Of interest to the
general reader, as we'll as to the student The
leading papers in the March number
historical sketch of Fredericksburg, Va, John
Van Buren,, the wreck of the Saginaw and an
account of Planfield Mass, town interesting
because of the number of distinguished sons it
has sent out into the world
The increasing excellence, both in the me-
.hapical features and the character of contents
eoraS,4 for want of better name, are called
the MINOR magazines, indicate in a very direct
and practical way the growing demand for n
high class of literature For while these publ
cations are placed under the head of second
class periodicals in comparison with the larger
and more widely-known monthlies the char
acterization does not necessarily apply to their
literary features. many writers whose names
appear constantly in the leading publications
also contributing to the smaller ones Some
of these. as the Overland Monthly, the South
ern Bivouac. rtne New England Magazine. the
Brooklyn Magazine, nave local features which
render them of more interest and value within
the especial territory of each than elsewhere.
but NOS one but contains In eacn issue some OF
the best literature of the day. The Cosmop-
u eiitan,. published at Rochester, n. Y, and one
: OF Iae latest applicants for public favor. does
not limit its field in the same way as the others
named, and having secured an excellent class of
contributors, is rapidly taking a front rank.
Among the interesting articles in the March
Cosmopolitan is one on the art of living without
eating which undertakes to explain the pnenom-
email cases of fasting which astonlsh the public
every now and then In illustration OF the the
DRY that autosuggestion, or belief that one is
pourished when is not, accounts for many
otherwise inexplicable phenomena. the following
incident occurring in the animal kingdom is quot
ed from Sedstlot: "a tortoise weighing one kilo
gram and half had been captured and per
mitted. during several weeks, to wander around
the garden, subsistne on flies and other insects.
When weighing two Kilograms the creature was
recaptured ana eyiscerated from behind Its
head, members and shell being left intact. 1t
was then restored to its liberty weighing fifteen
grams less thar at the time of its first capture,
and, although entirely hollow and open on its
posterior aspect, it roamed about as before,
swapping up flee that, after being swallowed
a. g. Anhs ia ftAV <xx,N e1ye
the animal was taken and again weighed, when
it was found to be five grams heavier than at the
period Immediately after its evisceration. This
creature was croyant; that is, it believed that
1t was taking into its system an abundance OF
aliment: it was growing fat. What was this
mysterious energy that worked an apparent i'm
possibility, if not auto SUGGESTION Whatever
effect this anecdote may have on the learned
mind the non scientific person will find some
difficulty in applying it to the cases OF the forty
day fasrers who take no nourishment whatever
and can hardly be under deusion on the sub
ject
OF the same class as the magazines mentioned
above are Cassells Family Magazine, The En-
glish illustrated Magazine, and the Culver. the
latter. however, differing from the others in be
ing of distinctly religious tone.
Outing occupies a field of its own, and has
charm which no other possesses. Being devoted
to outdoor sports and recreations it finds read
ers not only among those who take active par
in hunting, fishing, bicycling, etc. but amone
Che large class which enjoys such pleasures only
in imagination. Thomas Stcvenss account o.
his bicycle tour around the world forms an in
teresting feature OF recent issues, does also
Lunt John Bgelows story of the chase after
Geronimo. The scope of the magazine may bt
fairly indicated by the contents of the Marcel
number, which, in addition to the two paper
mentioned, take its readers among the Scotch
herring fisheries, on a Florida cruise
snipe-shootiDg on the prairies, bear hunting il
Mexico. troutfshing in Thuringia, to the Roman
carnival, and to California.
Among the art publications the Art Amateu
is unique, giving as does the general informa
ton concerning the work of artists here an,
abroad. descriptions of exhibitions. records 0
sales of pictures. and in addition much technica
information which must be valuable not only t.
the beginner, but to the experienced worker